~461 cal · 6g protein · 61g carbs · 22g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Bowl-shaped lacy rice pancakes
🇱🇰 Southern Province
Hoppers, or appa, are the iconic Sri Lankan breakfast: a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk swirled in a small bowl-shaped pan so it sets crisp and lacy at the rim and spongy in the center. Eaten with sambol and curry — or, as egg hoppers, with an egg cracked into the middle.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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2 cups rice flour
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1.5 cups coconut milk
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1 tsp yeast
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1 tbsp sugar
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1/2 tsp salt
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as needed water
Instructions
1
Whisk the rice flour, coconut milk, yeast, sugar, salt, and water into a pourable batter.
2
Let it ferment until bubbly, a few hours or overnight.
3
Pour a ladle into a hot oiled bowl-shaped (appa) pan and swirl to coat the sides.
4
Cover and cook until the edges are crisp and lacy and the center is set.
5
Serve hot with coconut sambol and curry.
Southern Province tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Southern Province. Galle’s spice gardens and coconut-grove kitchens.
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Sri Lanka. The island of cinnamon, coconut, and fiery sambols.
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Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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